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sink into the soft cushions of the couch. The couch was so wonderful that it seemed to envelop her body and eat her alive. She didn't mind at all. The soft feeling of the throw pillows that had been haphazardly tossed around the sofa enveloped her even more, and Tabitha closed her eyes for a moment.
    “Just for a minute,” she told herself. “Just until he gets back with the sodas.”
    But soon Tabitha's eyes grew even heavier, and before Ryan returned she had drifted into a deep slumber.

Chapter 11
     
    “Way up! Way up!”
    Tabitha's eyes popped open at the sound of baby Dylan's squeaky voice next to her ear. His tiny hands waved at her excitedly.
    “Way up!” He repeated.
    “I am awake now,” Tabitha rubbed her eyes. She still felt a bit groggy and she wondered how long she had been asleep for. A young woman, whom Tabitha assumed was Ryan's older sister, Kathy, sat on the floor across from Dylan.
    “Come here, pumpkin,” she called to him warmly. The girl smiled at Tabitha. “I'm Kathy,” she told her, confirming Tabitha's suspicions. “Ryan had to go to a meeting at school, but I'd be happy to give you a ride home if you need one.”
    Tabitha nodded. “That would be great. I should probably get going. What time is it, anyway?”
    “Almost 7.”
    Tabitha looked shocked. “Oh, man, my mom is going to freak out.”
    “Oh, no, it's okay,” Kathy assured her. “Ryan called your mom from your phone while you were asleep and let her know what happened. She said it was okay not to wake you, so she's not worried.”
    Tabitha sighed with relief. She would have felt guilty if Mom had been unnecessarily worried about her safety.
    “Well, let's get you home, kiddo.” Kathy lifted Dylan up onto her hip and began walking upstairs to the living room, where she dressed the boy in his warm winter jacket and mittens. Dylan smiled and laughed as he clapped his hands together. Kathy slipped on her own coat before running outside to start the car.
    “I want to give it a few minutes to warm up,” she explained to Tabitha. “It's a good car, but it's old, and sometimes it needs a few minutes before it's ready to go.”
    Tabitha didn't mind. She took a few minutes to examine and admire the many family pictures that lined the entryway of the Shwartz's home. One row of pictures was displayed in chronological order beginning with Ryan's parents' wedding portrait. The couple looked very happy as they held hands in front of a tiny white church. Mrs. Shwartz's hair was pinned back in a neat, tight bun and Mr. Shwartz wore a snow white tuxedo. Their smiles seemed to stretch to the skies as they saw only bright days in their future. Tabitha wondered for a moment what made some marriages work and some fail. It seemed like they all began so happily, but somewhere along the journey some just broke down. She felt pained for a moment and slightly jealous that Ryan's family seemed so perfect, but she brushed off the thought as Kathy returned and said she was ready to take Tabitha home.             
    The ride home was short. Dylan sat in the backseat of the car in his car seat and happily ate a few crackers that Kathy had given him. Kathy entertained Tabitha with stories of growing up and told her a few silly things that Ryan had said and done as a child.
    “Dylan really reminds me of Ryan as a kid. He's always having adventures and always curious about everything he sees. He really keeps me on my toes. I just hope he grows into as good a man as Ryan is.”
    “Ryan is pretty nice,” Tabitha agreed. She paused a moment before deciding to ask a more personal question. “So, is being a mom really hard? Like, is it really scary?”
    “You know, it really is. My mom always told me growing up that it was one of the hardest jobs in the world, but you don't realize how true that is until you have your own kid. You always think about your child all the time. You wonder if they're safe, what they're doing, what they're eating, if